Yes Funfly I probably would appreciate a supporting arm in similar circumstances. Never been there and don't care to be. The 100+hr student pilot looks calm after his over four hour ordeal. I just can't escape an impression that the fireman/woman has commandeered him and that that is part of the shoreside sorry groundside SOPs. Have no problem with that, just seems funny sometimes how SOPs smother clearheaded initiative when it's needed.
If the above comment tosses a few firecrackers into the firepit so be it. Gives us - well maybe some of us - narcissistic alphas something to $&^DISCUSS$%#@& in a gentlemanly manner of course.